New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-24
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
CLEvELAND'S NEGLECT OF OUTDOOR Elk
ERCISE.

ERTY-uEwITT AND CLEVELAND
WAsHIsGToH July 23.-In the Of a conversation
with old resident Of Washington recently he spoke OF
President Cevelands neglect in the matter Of outdoor
exercise and dwet the habits Of many of his prede
that particular Ny friends observations have
extended over period of half century. Among other
things said 81 have been Informed that Dir. Ceye-
land mounted horse In his life, or at least never
has done since he reached manhood, and that he Is
to walking. was told, too that he has never
taken any interest In outdoor sports any kind except
fishing and that has few attractions when II IN
wolves much physical exercise In these respects no
resembles Andrew Johnson. 1t is true that Johnson
rode high horse In politics SON etimes, and In the
White House "a WELL but that only In fguratve
sense Garfield and Hayes were both good horsemen
and good walkers used to take fair amount OF ex
ercse. Arthur a magnificent horseman, q good
walker and believe, OF the most skilfui ana sue
cessfu OF anglers do not believe he would have been
stay in boat for hours and troll for fish or SIT
on log and try invegle the wary trout with worm
or picked pork He preferred the excitement OF
ny-nshing As for Grant, well, everybody remembers
what superb horseman he was, and he was faithfui
pedestrian too 1 used often to meet him In the OUT
OF the sometimes alone with his cigar ou'
oftener with comrade OF the war for companion
Mr. Lincoln not graceful figure on horseback put
he was skilfu rider and took good deal OF exercise
| considering the constant demands his time Mr.
Buchanan Old Buck as the boys used to call hin
was very digniaed In all his ways. but he was a good
hors.man In his young days he made tour on horse
hack through Ohio and Kentucky and have heard him
recur OF the peasantest experiences OF MS
life Franklin Pierce was good aorseman. too' ana
was always we'll mounted. OF course Harrison ana
Taylor devoted to open-air exercise ana poth OF
them for years had almost lived In the saddle Fillmore
oh had forgottenI do not think ever saw him on
horseback either, and the like Mr.. Cleveland hailed
| from Buffalo. Mr.. Fillmore, remember. used to ride
I'm carriage up to the little falls of the Potomac ana
patiently sit rock fishing for bass perch cells OF
anything elsea fish that came to his hook-and nc
used mnnows and frogs for bait too Tyler was good
horscman aud Polk, who succeeded him. In their
| day the highways, even in Washington itself, were
pretty rough and the saddle preferred to the car
rage as a rule In the winter used frequently
10 see carriages stalled In Pennsylvania ave- ana III
Est both which unpaved as indeed were all the
other streets One OF early recoectons 10 OF Dig
crowd Of people attracted by the Presdents carriage
which was fast In the mud one day In the avenue IL
was late I'm February think, and Mr. Van Buren,, who
was then President, compelled 10 asht and PICK
his way to the sidewalk best he could After uihe
another carriage with four horses was procured ana
Mr. Van Buren, went his way, muddy " not rejoicing
OF Van Burens predecessors ALL believe except John
Adams, good horsemen and addicted to horseback
exercise Jefferson, well Washington and Monroe,
was ardent 1hunter and rode TO hounds with AZ
eagerncss when he In the sixties as when ne
was only twenty years old. Madison too was horse
back rider and OF good horses, OF which he
must have backed when he rode from those disas
irons Bladensburg Races ahead OF the British army
under Ross. that hot August day In the year isli |
| believe he was the only Commander-inChief OF the
hrny s h h held that oiee; that is II the affair at
| Bladensburg could be called battle As for John
| Quincy Adams his diary shows that he paid great
with his observations on this subject about HIS
riding horses and the benefits derived from riding and
early morning before the town as,irare sand
w,ched between entries respecting Experiments IN
that fully realized tho benefits and enjoy mrnt, az wei
the SS oSe OF Ss Se of hi. but he
was ardent lover OF outdoor sports lie was daring
de 70 b Sse .nesd ne had confidence And yet
the dignity tho Presidential ocie In fairly good
hands while he held It,
The death this week Of Robert NJ T. Hunter. OF Vir
| gnia leaves only two surviving who seeded "
from the United Senate at the beginning OF the
war They are Jefferson Davis OF Mississippi and T. L.
| Clingman OF North Carolina Mr. Hunter died In er
tr,me poverty. disappointed and neglected Old man,
who felt that he had deserved better OF his native State
and OF the hrst Democratic Administration since the
war; He the youngest Speaker ever chosen by the
House OF Representatives; for fifteen years he was
Senator the United States and served for twelve
years AZ chairman OF the Committee on Finance when
such men as Seward, Fesscnden, Gunner. James A.
| Bayard Toombs Benjamin. Douglas and Bgler were
members IT, when the secession plot was laid Hunter
was on che slate OF the Southern leaders for the
Presidency OF the socalled Confederate States but he
was outwitted by Davis, Benjamin aud other shrewd
politicians the Gulf States Hunter sat for short
period In Daviss Cabinet Secretary OF State but was
,oon transferred TO the Confederate Senate where he
was n severe critic OF the Davis Administration. Aftor
the reconstruction OF Virginia he and his friends er
peced that he would be returned TO the scnate and In
1874 he was candidate for that Office but was defeated
by Dr. withers who had been Confederate Colonel ana
Is a man OF small abilities. This was severe blow TO
the statesman who had been Douglass leading conpe
| forth he Pres
yentIon OF 1860 After Cleveland had been elected
President an effort made to provide Tor Mr. Hunter
who was broken In spirit as well as In fortune. put
again his old rival Dr. Wiihers, stepped In and carried
of the prize the Hong Kong Consulate with salary
OF S5OOO-whe John Goode, fifth rate country lawyer
and politician was rewarded with the Solicitor General
snip and a salary OF 81 900 year. MT Hunters pccun
ary condition was desperate however, that he was
| compelled TO accept a small place In tho customs
service which paid him about 5000 por annum That
| place he relnquished few months ago. Among tho
| men In Washington who know MT Hunter when ne was
awsvs seemed to me that Mr. Hunter deserved better
treatment the hands OF his state and party lie was
broad culture. When became acquainted with him in
stormy period which preceded the wsG he xa' b bss
time, although past nifty years Of age his hair was
d yet his
manding HI. broad forehead was align Of the great
and asure he resebled Douglass, somewhat, and his
feature, were equal. strong although less coarse than
Speaking Of the neglect which Mr. Hunter suffered and
IN. rewards which inferior hayo received at the
hands OF this Administration reminds me Of AM Kelley
| of Virginia. who was provided with snug place In
Fgypt after Italy and Austria had refused 10 receive
| him I suppose that comparatively few persons are
aware that eiley Is an author well rejected dip
ioma in his book entitled In Vincus; or The Pris-
oner OF War" Kelley refers 10 the venerable Dorobea
| I. Dix as the grand female dry nurse Of Yankee
| Doodle"
Several friends of Abram g. Hewitt who have con.
ycrsed with the subject recently report that MS
expressions hostility toward President Cleveland are
not only extremely but that he makes secret OF
his determination oppose his reconciliation ana not 10
support him II lie should be q candidate for scconh
term III the reports be true which have reason TO
doubt the course OF Mr. Cleveland has served only 10
confirm the unfayOrable impression which his triumph
IN the con yonton OF 1884 made Mr.. Hewitts mind
few moments after the announcement or the decisive
ballot Mr. Hewitt and left the convention and walked